Chapter 38: Aether

After my discussion with Deluge, I sit through my astronomy class realizing my midterms will start next week. The dates caught up to me with a surprising speed, but with my reinvigorated will, I’ll drag through study sessions with either Joan or Sophia. I doubt any school material escapes their culminated knowledge as both prove intelligent.

Whenever I reach my soul forging class, Alastair walks up to me as I arrived early fearing his scolding. He says with a knowing glare, “Now I would never accuse a star student of any wrongdoing, but...”

I meet his gaze as I say, “I’m sorry for breaking the golem. It snapped into chaos for some reason. I don’t understand it.”

He squints his eyes while frowning as he says, “You broke it? What?”

I pop my index finger as I say, “I fought it.”

A scoff escapes his lips before he says, “That’s impossible.”

I raise an eyebrow as I say, “That’s rather narrow minded don’t you think?”

He crosses his arms as he says, “It's realistic.”

I open a palm towards him as I say, “Regardless, I broke the golem. Is there something I can do to recover the loss?”

An instant grin forms on his lips as he says, “Now that you mention it, I heard from a particular source that you have a talent with souls. I actually want your help with something if you wouldn't mind.”

I frown as I say, “What did Sophia tell you?”

He shrugs as he says, “Only what I could squeeze out of her. The fact you both destroyed a golem worth 50 gold doesn’t help the situation.”

I cringe before Alastair continues, “I will pay for its replacement, but in return, I want you to show me your ability to store and manipulate souls.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose as I say, “Please tell me that’s all she said.”

He meets my gaze saying with a sober air, “That’s all Sophia told me. She also said you fought the golem as well, but she’s always had a way of seeing the improbable.”

My shoulders slacken as I say, “That’s reassuring. I can show the ability right now if you’d like. I’d rather just get this over with.”

He claps his hands in front of his chest saying, “If you’ll so kindly offer, then I’ll gladly accept. I have several loaded gems in the back. Will those suffice for showing your talents?”

I shrug my shoulders saying, “Why not.”

As we walk towards the back, Alastair walks beside the enormous tree golem hunched against the wall comprised of pitch black stone intermingled with white glints. He says with a tone of wonder and greed, “First off, could you remove the soul locking this golem? Would that be possible?”

My mind snaps into rapid thought. This golem may prove a grand ally or an apocalyptic foe, but honestly, the tree will likely just lay there. I doubt a plant will want to move much. If something chaotic occurs, I’ll just handle this golem as I did the last one.

This entity sat here for centuries, and the magician that stored him may contain a plethora of useful information as well. I ask Deluge, “Can I see the aura’s of souls?”

Deluge says, “Of course. You can manipulate souls just as I do, you simply chose not to try.”

I place a hand on my chin as I think, “Mind explaining how?”

He says with his impatient bluntness bludgeoning through his words, “It’s as simple as breathing. Instead of looking at the appearance of the creature, gaze at what it is.”

I stare at the thrall, but I still find a nine foot golem laying against the wall. Deluge snaps, “Stop looking at what you believe the golem is. Look at it for what it actually is. Simple. Stop being an idiot.”

I quell my urge to roll my eyes as I close them sighing. I relax my shoulders and fists. I void my thoughts, and as I do so, an aura leaks from the golem and alistair. A blue, placid bloom ebbs from the golem, though it's restrained by a vicious purple. That must be the magician.

Alistair's red aura boils with an obvious anticipation as I jaunt up to the golem where I place my hand on the alexandrite at the center of its chest. This golem’s peaceful nature implies no reason for keeping it chained, so I ask Deluge, “Will you consolidate the magician's soul? This golem could prove a worthy ally.”

Deluge snaps leaking greed from his voice, “Of course.”

He draws the soul of the magician into his subconscious jerking the spirit before the ancient magician may retaliate. The oppressive miasma surrounding the golem dissipates as the body of the creature shifts together more firmly. The stone’s once starry surface disappears as an absolute void of black covers the surface of its stony body.

The void absorbs light from the nearby area soaking the air near the construct in a fluid shadow that shifts as it moves. Smooth, blue patterns crawl from the alexandrite slab in its chest illuminating with an aura that glows like blue coals in a fireplace. The blue runes reaches its ruby eyes turning the red parallelograms to a glowing purple from their previous fiery red.

Alastair rasps, “What in the hell did you do?”

I look at him raising an eyebrow as I say, “I absorbed the soul of the magician.”

His eyes open wide as he gasps, “You...you...”

He falls into silence before the golem lifts its right arm peering at its limb while clenching and relaxing its fist. After observing the limb, it looks at me saying in a deep, serene voice that echoes through my bones and skin, “Did you free me?”

So the golem already acts far more than I reasoned. Interesting. I reply while opening my palm towards the creature, “Yes, I removed your shackles.”

The construct looks at its hands then back at me. It says with a slow and excessive pronunciation of its words, “Thank you...This place has never seen the cycles of the sun and moon. Not even a single breeze grazed me since I've been here.”

It meets my gaze as it says in its metallic tones, “Please help me again to escape.”

I reply with a grin, “If you wish to, but would you mind sharing your name first?”

The huge golem stands up without a sound emitting from its joints, but the dull booms its meager steps produce incite an awe at its weight. It says, “I am a golem from what your kind has called me, so call me golem.”

I reply while placing my hand on my chin, “We use the word golem rather frequently. There’d be confusion if we used that name unfortunately.”

The being looks down as it says with a surprising sadness, “Then call me what you wish. I am only a tree forced into this body. There must be a name that suits me.”

The hint of desperation in his voice inspires my words as I say, “You were once a living monolith that pierced the clouds. Did you enjoy soaring in the sky wafting in the aether of this world?”

The golem lifts its head staring with its glowing, lavender eyes as it says, “Those times were of peace and the sun. I remember eons of light. The air was thin there. I felt the pull of the earth as it spun dragging my body along its rotation. My children gave me strength. I remember those millennia fondly. ”

He felt the pull of the earth's rotation. How massive must he have been? I quell my thoughts as I reply while raising my arms to my side, “Then how would you like the name Aether as a reminder of your times spent in it?”

Aether looks to a wall for a moment before he meets my gaze again saying, “I enjoy the name. Thank you human. What do you wish for me to call you?”

I put my hand on my chest as I tilt my head sideways saying, “I go by the name Jack Donovan. Jack will do nicely however.”

The golem says with penetrating sincerity, “You ceased my imprisonment and gave me a name with energy like water and substance like earth...Thank you Jack.”

I redden at his absolute honesty. He speaks with a closeness like loving family members even though we comprehend very little about each other. I reply stumbling on my words, “Think nothing of it.”

As I avert the golem’s gaze towards Alastair, he peers between me and Aether with a level of shock defying comprehension. His jaw nearly unhinges as he gapes with his eyes opened beyond what I believed possible. Literal drool falls from his mouth as the sight overwhelms him.

I say to Aether, “Would you be willing to wait here for a while longer before you leave?”

The golem says, “I have waited thousands of years. What is another human’s lifetime of waiting?”

I shake my hand saying, “I was thinking more like several hours.”

Aether asks, “What is an hour? Is it less than a year?”

The golem’s perception of time baffles me. I wonder what each second must feel like for him. It must experience time differently. I reply after my initial shock with a smile, “Much less.”

Aether loses tension in his legs before he lands on the ground resonating a sharp crack from the floor crushing under his weight. Shards of splintered rock jut into the air around the golem’s landing spot while the shade around the golem shifts with its movements. I stumble as a small earthquake resonates while Alastair falls down on his back.

Alistair heaves for breath with a near frenzied panic, so I say to Aether, “I will show you the outside later. It was a pleasure speaking with you Aether.”

The golem looks forward then back at me saying, “I enjoyed our speaking as well...Goodbye Jack.”

I jot up to Alastair saying, “It’s just a tree golem. I’ve faced far more fearsome foes.”

My words snap him from his stupor as he shakes his head while blinking several times. I offer him a hand, and he grabs it saying, “I believe you about fighting the golem now.”

I pull him up as I say, “Let’s just say I have a penchant for trouble.”

We walk out into the empty classroom where Alistair says, “I didn’t expect you to free it so...easily.”

I shrug as I say, “It’s not like I can control it. Let's focus on getting Aether out of there. When do you wish to walk it outside?”

He snaps while grimacing, “What? We aren’t taking that thing outside. This is a weapon of mass destruction Jack. It could level entire countries. If the other students figure out about Aether's waking, kingdoms may go to war over this?”

I squint my eyes as I say, “Keeping him here will put him in a place where anyone could figure out about his existence. In the forest, he could be hidden from other's gazes. Besides, Aether just wants to feel outside. That’s fine. Let him.”

Alastair’s shoulders relax as he says shaking his head, “You act like it’s a person. This is just a golem Jack. The most powerful one ever formed to be precise. It could kill every person on earth.”

I respond with steel in my voice, “I’ve met monsters of the same caliber, yet one of them became my closest friend. Who are we to imprison Aether any longer off our own prejudice?”

Alastair snaps, “We are sane human beings who act with caution. We should study this thing-”

I howl, “It’s name is Aether. It is no thing.”

Alastair steps backwards for a moment, so I avert his widened eyes as I say, “I’m sorry. I...I just know what it’s like to be a entirely alone. The golem only wants to go outside. Do you fear it so thoroughly that you won’t even fulfill such a simple desire that lasted for thousands of years? Is he really so deserving of our hatred?”

Alastair sighs as his shoulders relax before he says, “When we purify the souls of animals, we take away the portions of their mind that will make the golems unstable or make the elemental powers of the gemchains unpredictable. It is a necessary evil.”

He opens his palms saying, “That process was never performed on this golem. It is made of materials we know nothing of, with energies and rituals we know little of, and it isn’t even an animal I can understand. It’s a tree. It’s a hazard for every living creature.”

I remember when Deluge first infected me and my alterations began. I worried about his potential for harm, yet he protected me while giving me my most reliable friend. The scientist in Alistair paints a picture of how he would treat me if I were in Aether's position.

He would treat me like an experiment or perhaps an anomaly...maybe even a monster. My voice hardens and my gaze crystallizes as I say, “You know, I believe you would say the same for me.”

Alistair shakes his head before he says, “What? You’re a star student. You broke the golem sure, but you’re no walking calamity like that th-I mean Aether is.”

I lift my hands staring at each of them as I say, “You see these hands. I crushed the golem with just these weapons.” I gaze at him as I continue, “How many people do you think I could kill before I was stopped by a squadron of gemchainers?”

He snaps reddening as he shouts, “I know you well enough to see you’re not a murderer. You would never do that. Why are you saying this lunacy?”

I shout back, “You gave me the chance to prove my intentions, so why won’t you give the same chance for Aether? What makes he and I so different?”

Alastair averts my gaze before I continue, “You heard him. Aether is sentient. He has his own wants and desires just like you and I, and he only harbors the potential for harm. He has done nothing wrong since his inception thousands of years ago.”

Alastair says, “But his potential for harm is greater.”

I roll my eyes as I say, “So is a city’s, but you don’t see kingdoms eliminating towns out of fear of their potential.”

Alastair begins saying while dragging his hand across his face, “We have to-” but before he can finish, a student walks through the doors. He cuts his reply short as he says, “Let’s discuss it after class.”

After the worst lecture Alastair has ever given, we continue our conversation with him saying, “Alright. When do you want to take Aether outside?”

I raise an eyebrow as I say, “What changed your mind?”

He shrugs saying, “We couldn't restrain him in here either way if he decided to leave one day. The enormous shards of rocks jutting around his sitting position also paint a peculiar picture. I can only prevent students from walking into the back room for so long. A teacher will eventually be informed forcing me to reveal his new found sentience.

His eyes darken as he says, "I gave it thought...Aether uses dark magic. He holds the power of an entire forest within a single 9 foot golem harder than diamonds. Soul forging is a dark practice Jack. I am working with Sophia to reduce the repulsion of the practice...but."

He closes his eyes as he says, "All of the trails and time we've put into moving the science from the depths of evil will falter once Aether's own process is revealed. We still don't understand the proper procedures for storing souls as large as his, but perhaps after studying a working example...we will learn how to sacrifice souls for creating golems such as Aether once more."

Tightening my throat with tension, He gazes at me as if staring into oblivion as he murmurs, "We must stop this. Golems of Aether's caliber will revolutionize the strength of these thralls, but overly so. They will become weapons of absolute destruction. Pinnacles of power so high that no amount of manpower will be able to stop their overwhelming might. We have to hide him now. It is simple to say the demon moved him. It is different when over half the campus sees him run through it."

As my heart races in my chest, my skin tingles as adrenaline floods my system. We must act now. After a moment's thought, I say, “Alright, I think the best time for taking Aether out would be tonight. Either of us can do it, but Aether trusts me. I also have a pool of experience to draw from when attempting the insane.”

Alastair waves his head saying, “Another soul forging professor may find him by then. We need to move him as soon as humanly possible."

My mind races before a plan soaking in desperation pops in my head. I say, "I will fake a suicide."

Alistair waves his hand saying, "The students will hate you after they figure out what your doing. You could alienate your friends here for the rest of your stay...there must be some other option we have yet considered."

I stare at him shooting my words as I say, "You spoke of the necessity for action right at this very moment. My plan will succeed. I will make it succeed. I give you my word on that. I’ll inform Sophia about the event. Petra is gone fighting some demon while Joan's at the library studying, and I doubt Luke will be roaming the campus with a broken leg."

I clasp my fists as I spit, "If all I must do for maintaining the sanctity of this worlds souls is risk my friendships, then I grin through it with a bloody smile. I freed Aether as well. This shall be my atonement for acting so rashly."

After the destruction of the village's populace with Morne and Kless, I understand the gravity of ignoring the consequences of my actions. I cannot leave this as it is. I must obliterate any chance for leaving yet another bloodbath in my wake. I will not destroy yet another home I forged through labor and toil.

Alistair's jaw clenches as he says, "I...alright. You understand what your risking. I won't shame a man for accepting the consequences of his actions. ”

Alistair peers at a window towards outside while the blue torches burn. He continues, "The Hearth's leader's named Alcott. He will leaving The Hearth whenever he attends a lecture across campus later today. The soul forgers are meeting with the Gemchainers to organize a search plan using golems later today. They will be meeting in the town during the sunset."

I nod saying, "Then that is when I will stage my false suicide."

Alistair says, "Precisely. I'll be gone for several days, but Alcott will return at around 9:00 at night later today so you must act before then. Hiding Aether shouldn't be difficult within the forest as few go there. Many beasts roam the woods around us...Try not to get the staff involved as there's little I can do after they know of your presence."

I nod as I say, "Alright. I'll go practice with Joan while asking her when the others will withdraw."

Alistair claps his hands saying, "Alright. I'll fix the mess Aether made. You should be able to get him back as I finish and leave."

Before I depart, Alistair shouts releasing some of the tension, "Make sure to memorize the elemental configurations for your test next week.”

I walk off saying grinning as I say, “Sure thing.”

After reaching The Hearth and telling Sophia to speak with Alistair about the situation, I pace over to the GC. I trek through an alternate route exploring a slice of campus probing areas for attracting the most attention. I discover an ornate, well organized park at the center of campus, yet few students jot through its winding trees and walkways. Students must spend the vast majority of their free time wasting their parent’s money in the town below Mareovosa.

As I frown at the spiteful thought, I recognize the distance and positioning of the GC as perfect for my plan. The buildings tall enough for a reasonable concern, it holds several nearby common walkways of campus, and the buildings close enough that I could signal Aether when to leave.

After solidifying my plan, I walk through the GC’s doors noticing their lightness. Deluge’s alterations slowed in pace, but the consistency of his project builds eventual changes. I hope Joan won't mind a gray skinned, 7 foot, and 2000 pound hulking creature as a boyfriend. Deluge might take our metamorphosis further in fact. I pray this isn't the case.

At least whenever Joan sees me as I walk in, the beaming grin she graces me with eliminates the concern for now. As I walk up to her, she bounces over to me until we hug one another. I say finding respite from my responsibilities, “It’s good to see you once more my siren.”

She smirks as she says, “Stay steady their sailor. You haven’t even heard about the training I have planned today.”

I interlock my hand around hers engulfing her petite hands with my enormous grip as I say, “I know there's at least one aspect I’ll enjoy.”

She raises an eyebrow as she says, “Ever the smooth talker aye? Let’s see how far your words get you through today's exercise.”

We practice an assortment of reflex training where she throws daggers at me much the same way Petra did her. I learn with a feverish pace as I lock my eyes onto her wrist as she throws them. since they fly through the air with enough speed that they blur preventing me from dodging after their thrown. I must predict their trajectory before then, else I end up a gash in my thigh.

Joan exercises caution however. She never throws near my neck or major arteries unlike Petra, and she ramps up her tossing power with a steady and predictable increase allowing me to adjust accordingly.

She teaches me how to throw knives as well, but I struggle holding back my strength. The daggers either dig their full lengths into the scratched wood behind her, or I destroy the dagger by snapping the handle sending two metal projectiles jumping through the air after it collides with the wood behind her.

After snapping three daggers in a row, I swap to wooden balls, but I throw the missiles with such speed that the ball would leave a dent in Joan’s skull. However, she dodges with a fluid, natural elegance as if dancing through her motions.

She never generates a wasted movement, and as she flows through each maneuver, she ties her techniques preventing even the smallest error. After several minutes of the exercise, my pace for throwing the balls increases until one shatters against the wall flinging a projectile piercing her forearm's skin.

She stumbles for a moment on a single foot, but I charge towards her using my arm as a prop against the wall. She grabs me before she shakes her head saying, “Wow, that hurt.”

I cringe as I say, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean-”

She smiles saying, “I’m no damsel in distress. I’ve gotten far worse injuries from Petra’s capable hands.”

After I remember Petra’s training methods, I nod my head saying as I remove my arm from against the wall, “Fair enough.”

She presses her hand against my chest as she says, “I appreciate the concern though.”

I enclose my hand around hers saying, “Come on, let’s go bandage your wounds. We wouldn't want a scar to tarnish your skin.”

She rolls her eyes saying, "I already have around 400 underneath my clothes."

I lean towards her saying, "That's a sight I'd like to see."

She brushes my neck as she says, "You just might one day, but I'd rather avoid another one. Let's go patch this wound up."

After I repair her injuries, we end our training session. Before we leave the GC, I figure out she's excluded from the meeting of gemchainers and soul forgers for her outburst earlier, and the reason I'm never contacted remains my inability to chemchain. Until I actually perform the feat, I won't be held accountable for attending the meetings and requirements the other gemechainers attend.

Even the youngest gemchainers start bursting souls within the first week of being accepted into training because of the honor and prestige it brings the family. The house will offer up disproportionate amounts of gold for ensuring the success of their new fighters, and after asking Joan about the replacement for Helfeston, she mentioned that a member of her family named Gannon will take his place as the senior students are poor instructors by comparison.

After we leave the GC, we study at the library for two hours before my brain fries from absorbing too much material. I sneak her a kiss before I leave the building making sure she'll be there for at least the next hour, and I trot outwards with the vitality of a near panic stricken young man.

As I walk towards the soul forge, I worry over my actions dampening my mood. My absence of control over my strength left Joan injured. While no tragedy occurred from my mistake, the incident omens future problems if I neglect mastering my new, now monstrous form.

After crossing campus, I enter the forge before I pass through the caged classroom noticing the sound of boulders crunching against one another. As I arrive at the back room, Alastair orders golems to repair the floor with detailed instructions. His utter absorption with the task sparks a mischievous idea, so I sneak behind him using the sounds of clashing rocks to disguise my movements.

Whenever I skulk behind him, I shout, “Bah!” As I poke his ribs. He jerks his right elbow behind him with a smooth attack as he turns around, but I duck underneath his blow before he shouts, “Who’s there!”

I meet his gaze from a crouch saying, “That was a practiced blow for someone who never attempted any fighting.”

He raises an eyebrow as he says, “Well that was a smooth dodge for someone new to the discipline as well.”

I stand up shrugging as I say, “I've been enduring training sessions with Joan and Petra. It would be a daring feat to not improve.”

He grimaces as he says, “Ah. I heard nasty tales of what Petra does to new recruits.”

I juggle my hands saying, “She’s effective at least.”

He tilts his head saying, “Effective at breaking their will to fight. You have to show fun and engaging parts of a craft before you can show its darker side. You end up with only two disciples like Petra otherwise.”

I shrug as I say, “She also trains the two best fighters at the most prestigious academy known.”

Alastair smirks leaning towards me while pointing his index finger at the ceiling saying, “I’ll give you a comparison. I tutor over eighty students, but I also train the two best soul forgers in this academy.”

He wears his expression with the distinct satisfaction of someone who loves their craft and succeeds at it as he continues, “The difference is 78 soul forgers who are talented and passionate about their work versus the zero students that Petra trains. besides you and Joan. They had seniors handle Helfeston's absence rather than her. That should make my point all by itself.”

As I nod while squinting my eyes in agreement, he lowers his hand gesturing me towards a side room behind several dormant golems. As we approach through its doorway, the stale air transforms into a repressed shade as Aether appears standing while staring out at a single missing brick in the wall.

The orange light of the sunset complements his lilac rubies and blue runes, and as he stares at the sun, the atmosphere around him generates a wholesome fullness as if everything were right in the world. As we walk up, he remains gazing at the brightest star shining in our sky.

I say, “Once the sun sets, you’ll be able to go outside. You may not feel the vibrance of the sun, but perhaps the star’s shine may satiate your yearning.”

After several seconds, Aether gazes towards me saying, “I enjoy your usage of language. You describe concepts...beautifully.”

The blunt compliment crashes against me, so I avert his gaze saying, “Well, I, uh...”

Aether says, “You do not have to respond. I merely shared my thoughts. If that makes you uncomfortable, then I shall stop.”

I shake my hands saying, “No, no. It was just sudden.”

Aether cements my choice for freeing him with his words and actions. I do not regret my decision. I did the right thing, albeit the harder of two paths. My father told me one day after he returned with a black eye from fighting with a guard who hit on mom, "Sometimes you have to do the hard thing not because you want to, but because it's right." The sensation flourishing from my chest reaffirms his own assertions.

After a moment of silence, Alastair chimes, “Aether sounds like earthquakes when he moves, so we will need someway to lessen his sound whenever he leaves. I tried getting two golems to lift his weight, and he even tried stepping slowly at the same time. None of that mattered in the end.”

I say, "He won't need any sound distorter. I will enrapture my audience."

We discuss a few details of the plan, and I stand on the roof of the GC five minutes later. I walk towards the edge of the five story building squirming in discomfort at my plan. At the height of my display, Aether will run out of the soul forge booming his steps as I leap from the roof. I will need an performance that will leave my audience in shock if I am to catch their attention for long enough.

As I gaze over the edge, no fear assails my frame from the height. My body will handle the fall without any problems. People’s attention proves a far more fearsome foe. The idea of having dozens of people stare at my melodramatic performance kills me on the inside like having salty razor blades slicing through my skin. That same discomfort will aid in my performance since many will interpret it as woe.

This never alters the reality of belting out such a declaration in front of the campus. Despite my experience with unpleasantness, it still takes several agonizing moments to build my courage enough to overcome my stage fright. Somehow, I stomp the sensation as I howl, “This world is but a curse. I aim to end it all!”

Several students already stare at me as I fumble my fingers on the rooftop. Squeezing my hands into fists, I hit my forehead several times before I muster up the bravery to shout, “This world’s against me! Everyday is torment!”

Dozens of students bunch up underneath me whispering within seconds of my foolish display. Insects composed of shame and humiliation crawl across my skin as my face reddens, but I swallow my embarrassment as I shout,

“My life wades in the eternal ebb and flow of oblivion. My mind fights against demons of brutish bane...” I falter at the ridiculousness of my own words before I bolster my drive. Measuring my mettle, I continue, “I simply cannot sustain through my anguish for a moment longer.”

Far worse than the entire crowd, Antoinnette shoves through the circle of students staring at me in disbelief. My nightmares come to life as she shouts in her ignorance, “You would throw it all away after having fought so hard to live!”

Her words offer an explosive kindling for my flames of humiliation. Her words even resonate with truth. My suicide would throw away all the efforts I've made so far in my journey. Despite these musings, I say, “You know nothing of my suffering!”

She shouts back with a voice flowing with compassion, “I may not know just how much harder you’ve had it, but I know just how strong you are! You’re like a mountain. You don’t wilt. You don’t break. You can live through this and be better for it!”

Her words form a burning pain in my throat. She speaks with a sincere, unexpected kindness, and I don’t know how to handle it. I grate my words as I shout, “Why did you have to be here.”

She opens her arms shouting, “Because you were there for me. I remember that night with the fassars. You still save me even in my nightmares just like you did then. If you can’t live for yourself, then live for the people you’ve saved!”

The complete and utter shame assailing me multiplies as the situation spirals out of control. This whole incident expanded to the worst possible situation. She faces this situation with a life or death fervor. She’s ignorant of my near physical immunity to harm, and I manipulate her words for my gain. What I'm doing is filthy.

Yet bathing in this filth avoids far greater evils. As the situation overwhelms my endurance, I roar the signal Aether and I agreed upon before I left, “I become death, the destroyer of worlds.”

I step off the ledge as levity leaves me. Even as I fall, Aether's booming steps echo in my ears, but every student in the nearest mile watches with horror at my descent. Perfect. After two seconds of acceleration, I land on the ground quaking the earth. I crouch into a lunging position with my left hand punching the earth. The urge for redemption crushed my rational thought, so I countered my idiocy on the roof with an epic pose as I landed...At least that’s the theory.

I stand from my posture as I brush off some dirt from my shoulders before Antoinnette runs up hugging me as she cries. Her touch singes my skin as she says, “What’s wrong with you. I don’t understand. I...”

I place my hand on her head as I say, “It’s alright. I’ll explain later...I’m truly sorry about this.”

The crowd of students stare with a mixture of awe and even disgust. Suicide’s a serious issue, so using a fake attempt for attention turns many against me. Many also believe I used a gemchain when I landed, so the loathing outweighs the awe.

Unfortunately, without such extreme measures being taken, I doubt my ability to aid in Aether’s escape. Escaping at night would have proved near impossible as his runes glow in the dark, and few would ignore the thunder of his footsteps if they awaken to them.

Regardless of the practical implications, I’ve lived as a slave as well. I understand the oppression of being caged. If I must tarnish my butchered reputation further for Aether’s liberation, then I accept such a price. Such a payment presents a fair outcome for his emancipation.

Still, guilt presses against my chest at Antoinette's tears. Her honest involvement blemished the otherwise harmless display, but with some thought and action from my end, I will repay Antoinette for her kindness here. I swear it.

I say, “I must leave Antoinette. We’ll talk about this at my next tutoring session, and your words were touching. Your reason blossomed at that moment Antoinette. I'm proud of you.”

As I nudge her away with a gentle press, she lets go of me whimpering, “Alright...Please don’t do this again.”

I grin as I say, “I’ll let you know before it happens next time. We'll make it our secret.”

I rip my back foot from the small crater before I dash from the semicircle of students. I contort and squirm past several people as I do so, and the awkward maneuvering prevents me from tackling anyone through the air. Two teachers watched in the crowd, but the drama of the situation left them stunned before they could detain me. I will face retribution for this however. I deserve it at least.

As I sprint in a straight line, I accelerate as my feet tear through the ground and my shoes. As I near a wall of bushes, I torque my body by stomping my foot against the ground forcing me into the brush. After I slide through several alleyways and patches of trees, I walk with a casual nonchalance as I pass through the campus.

Darkness envelops Mareovosa as I verify Aether's location as hidden, and afterwards, I reach the dorm ready for sleep. As I enter my room, I find Luke in the dorm moving his uncasted arm by flicking his wrist as he props a book on his casted arm. I raise an eyebrow as I say, “What’re you reading?”

He meets my gaze with hard eyes as he says, “I see you want to talk with me now. What was wrong with you this morning?”

Damn you Deluge. My mind races as I fumble for some reason, but my exhausted mind falters before Deluge says, “You were sleepwalking.”

I wince as I say the terrible excuse, “I have a problem with sleep walking...I didn’t want to tell you about it. I’ve had an exceptional case since I was born.”

He raises his eyebrows as his eyes deaden when he says in a tone flowing with skepticism, “How can you talk while sleep walking?”

My mind pops with clarity under the pressure as I say, “Have you ever been sleeping and heard the voices of people around you?”

He squints as he says, “Yeah.”

I open my palms as I say, “It feels like that whenever I’m sleepwalking. I respond with a sort of dullness and the thoughtlessness that you experience in dreams. It’s a problematic disorder to say the least.”

He leans towards me as I meet his eyes sweating down my sides. He says after a few seconds of intense scrutiny, “Alright. I could see that. My cousin Dane has the same problem, though he isn’t quite so...animated when he’s doing it.”

I restrain the visible signs of relief from showing as I say, “That’s the first time I’ve ever heard of someone else having the same problem. How did he handle it?”

He replies and we chat about our days before I lay in the bed ready for sleep. Luke reacts with far less surprise after I admit my jumping from the roof earlier. His understanding gives me room to breath as I lay in bed for a moment. After several minutes of silence, I think to Deluge, “Have you learned anything from the magician?”

Deluge says , “Hah, after thousands of years of holding Aether against his will, the soul only rambles madness. Pieces of his ramblings make sense, but none of it relates to our current strife. I shall inform you if he says anything pertinent.”

I close my eyes sifting into slumber as I say, “Alright then. If you decide to meet Aether, please try to avoid enraging him with your wit.”

“Hah, no promises.”

Author's note:

I will be employing a routine update schedule on my fiction from now on as well because I want to offer certain specific dates for you guys to check in on.

I will be updating Biomancer: Songs of Sirens every weekday, so 5 updates a week.

I will be updating Monsters Dwell in Men every Thursday and Sunday.

This will be implemented next week.

Here is my other fiction, Biomancer: Songs of Sirens - http://royalroadl.com/fiction/6012

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